PokéBlog

The world of Pokémon is constantly changing, growing, and evolving. With such an expansive virtual world to explore, and so many Pokémon to obtain, keeping up to date on events, news, and giveaways can seem somewhat overwhelming. Enter the MGX Pokéblog, our brief weekly breakdown of Pokémon related news, compiled by our leading Pokémon professors. These posts hope to offer an in depth look anything you might have missed through the week, in a bite size and easy to process all-in-one post.

General News:

This week in Pokemon we got to see a lot of our favorites from our childhood revisited. With the 20th anniversary of Pokemon celebration still going strong, The Pokemon Co. has dug up a few nostalgia bombs. Long time fans of the series can look forward to taking a trip down memory lane while seeing “Pokemon: The First Movie” re-released in theaters for the first time in over 10 years. Selected theaters will have matinee showings on October 29th, and evening showings on November 1st. Whether you want to relive your childhood, or introduce new trainers to the film, it is certain that there is something to enjoy for anyone attending.

In similar fashion to the re-screening of the first film, The Pokémon Co. has decided to celebrate the Pokemon Trading Card game as well by reprinting one of its most iconic characters first card. In solid gold. Yep, you read that right, 11 grams of 24-karat gold. The card features original art work as well as the same move set taken from the initial print. The reprint is available on the online Pokémon Center web-store and retails for roughly $2,100 making it easily the most expensive trading card released in the series to date.

Pokken Tournament players might have something to look forward to with an upcoming update to the game for the Nintendo Wii U. In the past playable characters have been released in the arcade format of the game overseas, before making their way into the home console release of the game stateside. While not all Pokemon released in the arcade are eventually brought over, more often than not they are available via update or dlc later on. Japan recently saw the addition of Scizor, and Darkrai to the arcade variation of Pokken Tournament, and Bandai, recently confirmed Scizor to be released on consoles. There is still no official word on Darkrai or the rumored Empoleon but we have our fingers crossed!

Pokemon Go:

For all the Pokémon Go fans out there, you might have found that your favorite place to hunt has become empty or that you are able to track down new Pokémon in places you couldn’t before. That is because with the newest update to Pokemon Go the nest locations have began to migrate. Players have been reporting this change from all sides of the globe, and even began updating the “Pokenest Atlas” maintained by the Silph Road fan community on Reddit. Updates like these provide the opportunity to discover new Pokemon in the game and encourage players to get out and keep hunting.

The holidays always provide an opportunity for developers and moderators to get into spirit through their craft. In the past we have seen these changes made in games like Destiny, Nights Into Dreams, and many more. With Halloween fast approaching players have been asking themselves and the community if we will see a Halloween themed event within the game. The games developer Niantic has yet to make an official statement, and instead has only touched on this subject with a brief post on their Facebook. Be sure to take your Pokemon with you while trick or treating just to be safe.

Upcoming events and releases:

We are all counting down the days until the release of Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon but Nintendo and The Pokemon Co. have much more on the horizon for us. In the spectrum of physical releases there is a good amount to talk about. Nintendo and The Pokemon Co. have teamed up to bring us what are quite possibly the cutest Pikachu collaboration we’ve seen. The items, which can be purchased from Pokemon Center stores in Japan, are Mario and Luigi themed and range from plushies and keychains, to 3ds covers and t-shirts.

If you find yourself in the market for an imported handheld, Nintendo has announced a new limited edition 2ds system to go alongside the release of its upcoming games. The 2ds features pictures of characters from the games as well as fan favorite Pikachu on the face. The console will not include a copy of either game, and is also region locked so be sure to do your research before ordering!

Nintendo is always releasing legendary and mythical Pokemon via official event, and this upcoming winter is no different. For those of you already owning a Nintendo 3ds and Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire be sure to log into the network to snag a few of these elusive creatures! For a limited time users are able to receive the legendary Pokemon Keldeo via mystery gift when connected to the Nintendo network. Players may also obtain legendary Pokemon Darkrai and Volcanion via serial code released via supporting retailers. These codes and events are all time sensitive and wont be around for long so make sure to get yours today!

Pokemon of the week:

With over 700 Pokemon released to date it is easy to look over a few and not give them much thought. This segment is designed to give you a closer look on an individual Pokemon, while explaining some of its history, backstory, techniques, and strengths, to give you an all around better understanding of the Pokemon. While keeping it festive, this week we take a closer look at the Ghost-Grass type Pokemon Phantump!

Description, Origin, and Backstory:

Phantump is a dual type, ghost-grass, base Pokemon introduced in Pokemon X and Pokemon Y. It has quite the unsettling backstory and has been the cause of many Pokemon lore rumors. The Pokedex entry for Phantump describes it as a “rotting tree stumps that have been possessed by spirits” and states that its preferred habitat are lonely forests. Some players in the Pokemon community have taken the creep factor a step further and implied that the spirits possessing Phantump are those of children led into the woods by another ghost Pokemon named Duskull. Regardless of the creep factor, this cute little spook actually brings a unique typing to the table and can be useful in many situations.

Useful tips for training and battling:

Phantump’s dual typing is one of its biggest advantages. Phantump’s ghost-grass typing offers resistance to four common attack types, as well as makes it completely immune to normal and fighting type attacks. Another thing this little guy has going for him is the ability “harvest” which has a 50% chance to reuse a berry held by the Pokemon. This Pokemon is best used as a support for your team but can be efficiently used as an attacking Pokemon if desired. When setting up Phantump for competitive use there are a few moves highly recommended to use it at its full potential. The two “must have” moves for Phantump would be Substitute, and Horn Leech. Substitute provides optimal cover while setting up crucial attacks and buffs, while Horn Leech will attack defending Pokemon and offer a small HP recovery in the process. All in all Phantump can bring an unsuspecting set up to your Pokemon battles leading your opponent to misjudge your team which is often a crippling mistake.

What kind of build do you use on your Phantump? What Pokémon would you like to see next week? Which Pokémon is the “ace in the hole” of your team? We want to know!! Leave a comment below and tell us who you would like to see next week! Until then, happy hunting trainers!

With the release of Pokemon’s 19th and 20th entries to the core series fast approaching we wanted to take a look at 20 things all Pokémon trainers, new and old, should know! The Pokemon series as a whole has seen many changes since its debut, from the world it takes place in, down the the adorable little creatures themselves. This list serves as a primer for any trainer looking to brush the dust off their Pokedex, new trainers choosing their starters for the very first time, or even parents that would like to be more involved in their child’s game. After much research and debate, our Pokémon Proffessors at MGX have compiled this list to assist you in your journey. So here we go, 20 things all trainers should know before playing Pokemon Sun & Moon!

Breaking the traditional mold for a children’s series, Pokemon was actually in circulation as a video game before the television series, trading cards, collectibles, or anything else for that matter. The creator of Pokemon had the idea from “gashapon” vending machines popular in Japan, which dispenses toys or charms in small capsules. Shortly after the games debut the phenomenon spread like wildfire, quickly making its way overseas and topping the charts of video games sales worldwide. The international response led Nintendo and Game Freak to expand the universe into so much more. The rest, as the say, is history.

2) Pokémon is short for Pocket Monsters.

In Japan the game was released under the titles “Poketto Monsutā Aka” and “Poketto Monsutā Midori”, or “Pocket Monsters Red” and “Pocket Monsters Green.” The origin of the name stems from the idea of creatures being captured, trained, and contained within small capsules that trainers could carry in their, well, their pockets of course. The title was shortened to “Pokemon” in international markets due to potential legal issues with television series “Monster in my pocket.” The series was re-branded by combining the words “pocket” and “monster” hence the current name, Pokemon.

3) There were originally 3 versions of the game.

Majority of the Pokémon titles have been released in pairs, with a third conclusion to them being released a year or so later. That was not the case for the Japanese launch of Pokémon, in which three games were released. Originally, Pocket Monsters Red, and Green we released at retail locations while Pocket Monsters Blue was only available as a mail in game from a magazine in circulation at the time. Pocket Monsters Blue was later released as a full retail version in Japan, and was released beside Pokemon Red in the US as Pokemon Blue. Pokémon Green would not be seen in the western market until the days of the Gameboy Advance with Pokemon LeafGreen.

4) Pokémon are hatched from Eggs.

What are Pokemon? Where do they come from? Why are they here? While we can’t take the time to answer all of these questions in this post, we can inform you that Pokémon are bred and hatched from eggs. The Pokemon games feature an in game daycare center in which players can drop off a number of Pokémon to be trained while they continue their journey. While in the daycare center Pokemon can gain experience, find items, and even breed. If two of the same Pokémon type have been left in the daycare center for a certain amount of time they can produce an egg that can potentially have the stats, moves, and temperaments of their parent Pokemon.

5) There are over 700 Pokemon as of Pokémon X & Y.

When Pokemon made its explosive debut there were only 151 little critters to chase after. As of the latest core titles in the Pokemon game series, “Pokemon X” and “Pokemon Y”, there are a total of 721 Pokemon to be obtained on your journey. While most Pokemon can be captured through standard gameplay, there are a number of Pokemon that are only released by Nintendo via special event. Each generation of games has version exclusive Pokémon that can only be obtained via trading, or special circumstances like time of day and in game location.

6) All games take place in a separate region.

Much like real world the Pokémon universe is separated in to different continents known as regions. These regions vary in size and characteristics but in fact all take place on the same planet. Each generation in the franchise introduces a new region to be explored, challenges to overcome, and Pokemon to obtain. Starting with the Kanto region, and sprawling all the way to the most recent region Kalos, the world of Pokémon is massive. But in a world filled with over 700 creatures to obtain, gyms to conquer, and unforgettable journeys to be had, there must be plenty of space to contain it all.

7) To date Pokémon is the second highest selling video game franchise.

Pokemon has evolved into so much more than a video game. With trading cards, toys, clothing, television series, blockbuster movies, and even pop tarts, its hard to ignore the notoriety of the series. Originally released in 1996 in Japan, the games quickly turned from the latest gaming trend to becoming the second highest selling video game franchise to date. With over 279 million games sold its no wonder “Ash” and “Pikachu” have become household names the world over.

8) Rhydon was the first Pokémon drawn or conceived.

In the Pokemon community there is much debate on who was the “first” Pokemon. With some trainers arguing Bulbasaur, others contesting Arceus, and some standing with Mew, there is no debate behind the first Pokemon to be conceived in the series. While working on designs and ideas for the debut titles creator Satoshi Tajiri had drawn multiple scenes with the protagonist and his Pokemon that bares a striking resemblance to the now well known Pokemon Rhydon.

9) Pikachu is the only Pokémon given to a trainer at the beginning of the game that isn’t a starter.

In the beginning of each game the player is presented with a choice between 3 Pokemon to start their journey with. In all but one game these Pokemon have all been either Grass, Water, or Fire typing with a stage one and stage 2 evolution. Pokemon Yellow was the first and only game thus far that does not include this choice, instead it pairs you with a temperamental Pikachu to start your journey.

10) Stage 2 is the highest level of evolution for Pokémon

One of the core gameplay mechanics of the Pokémon series is the ability to “evolve” your Pokémon into a stronger, and often times larger, Pokémon. Pokémon start off as a “base” Pokémon, after one stage of evolution they become a Stage 1 Pokemon. However there are no Pokemon that evolve past the Stage 2 tier.

11) Each game has a few creatures known as “legendary” Pokémon.

In each generation of Pokemon they introduce, what are known as “Legendary Pokémon.” These Pokémon all have base stats higher than most other Pokémon, and are only obtainable through specific gameplay conditions. These Pokémon are often given out in events by Nintendo or found post game. “Legendary” Pokemon include Mewtwo, Giratina, Darkria, Jirachi, etc.

12) Most Pokémon are influenced by creatures or objects in the real world.

This one might not come as a surprise to many, but most Pokémon are influenced by real world objects or animals. The creators at Nintendo and Gamefreak have attributed this to making the games more approachable to a general audience. While there are definitely Pokemon that are unique to the world, the resemblance of most Pokémon to real world creatures or items is easy to spot.

In the world of Pokémon, all creatures have an elemental affinity towards any of 18 different typing. These attributes come into effect when battling or training your Pokemon. For Example; Fire type attacks greatly damage Grass type Pokemon, or Water Type Attacks are super effective against fire Pokémon, Etc. It is a good idea to make a diverse party of Pokémon from all typing to have a well rounded team.

14) Pokémon Go has become the fastest game to top the iOS and Google Play.

Whether you are a Pokémon master or beginning your journey as a trainer, it is hard to ignore Pokémon Go. Pokémon Go is an augmented reality cellphone game that allows trainers to capture and train Pokémon based on their GPS location. Since its launch the app has skyrocketed in popularity, and has become the fastest growing cellphone game available on iOS and Google Play markets. It has since dropped from the #1 spot but is still widely played and continues to be downloaded regularly.

15) Each Trainer is given a Pokédex at the start of their journey.

At the start of your Pokémon journey you are given a basic objective, a starter Pokemon, and arguably the most important item is your Pokédex. The Pokedex is a device used to record Pokémon data and tracking your journey to “catch ’em all.” The Pokédex records data like size, location, description, typing, and even down to the cry of each Pokémon. The Pokédex has gone through many changes throughout each generation but its functions have remained relatively the same. Upon completion of the Pokédex the player is given special items or access to secret locations depending on the title.

16) Certain Pokémon only evolve via items known as “stones.”

We mentioned Pokémon evolution earlier, but unlike most Pokemon that evolve via training and leveling up, there are select Pokemon that are only able to evolve with the help of a hold item known as a “stone.” There are many different stones ranging from “moon stone” to “water stone” and they all have different effects on the Pokemon holding them. One notable Pokemon family that relys on stone evolution is the Eevee tree. The Pokemon Eevee is a normal type base Pokemon, but when given any of the evolutionary stones it will evolve into a different form accordingly. Try giving a few of your own pokemon one of these stones and see what happens!

17) Pokémon have hidden values assigned to them known as IV’s and EV’s and they determine the growth rate of a Pokémon’s stats.

Pokémon is often categorized as a children’s game and as such is often overlooked by the older competitive gaming community. If you take the time to dig a little deeper however, you will find out that Pokemon has a very in depth system in place that determines a Pokemon’s moveset, stats, and even temperament. Each Pokémon is assigned a set of IV’s, or inherited values, that are passed down from parent Pokemon and determine base stat bonus’ for the Pokémon. EV’s, or effort values, are given to a Pokémon as they level up and determine the growth of a specific stat. For example; if your Pokemon were to knock out 10 Geodudes before leveling up you would receive a +2 in defense, as opposed to a +1 boost.

18) A Woman by the name of Lisa Courtney holds the world record for the largest Pokémon collection at 17,127 items.

Some trainers have taken the catchphrase “Gotta catch ’em all” to the heart more than others. One such trainer’s name is Lisa Courtney, and she has held the world record for the largest Pokémon collection. Currently her collection has grown in size to over seventeen thousand different items. She continues to collect and grow her collection as games and memorabilia are released, which will make her record quite difficult to beat for any hopefuls.

19) The fan community for Pokémon have speculated rumors and myths about creatures, characters, or places in each game. Ranging from the ludicrous to probable.

Just like with any popular entertainment series, the Pokemon Franchise has left a lot to the imagination, leading forums and fan groups to speculate rumors and myths about the lore in the series. From a great Pokemon war that devastated most of the land, to a fan made game in circulation known as “Pokemon Black” with a literal ghost Pokemon that takes the life of its opponents instead of knocking them unconscious. Most of these have been disproven or altogether ignored by The Pokemon Company, while some are still open to speculation and discussion.

20) The Pokémon series has something to offer for gamers of all ages.

While the target audience is definitely more children oriented, the Pokémon franchise as a whole has much much more to offer. At its core it is a game about capturing cute little critters and training to be the very best, but when you pull away the shroud you find so much more. The basic journey of the games is simple, yet challenging enough to keep gamers of all ages entertained. Each game offers post game content that is often larger and more substantial than the plot. Whether you plan on catchin ’em all, beating the regions gym leaders, creating an IV&EV bred super team, or just passing on your childhood favorite to a little trainer of your own, the Pokemon games truly offer something for people of all ages and groups.

Be sure to use all of these tips when starting your new journey in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, releasing this November for the Nintendo 3ds & 2ds! Be sure to stop by Matt’s Game Exchange in the meantime for all of your Pokémon needs. From trading cards, games, consoles, and anything else you’ll need in your Pokémon journey, we’ve got you covered at Matt’s Game Exchange.

Remember to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Receive updates on all the latest promotions, specials, and deals!